prepared to be scared

i went to the latest
Martin Scorsese film
"Shutter Island"
prepared to be scared.

the darkened theatre
the absolute hushed silence of the audience

the expected, yet unexpected
jolts, both visual and audio
typical of a Scorsese production

i thought perhaps i had read
the novel by Dennis Lehane,
since i am a fan of his
but was utterly surprised
and saddened at the end of the movie.

what was frightening
is the realization that each of us
at any moment is
merely a blink away from
needing institutionalization